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The innate connection between family members will forever be special. There are circumstances which could dictate separation – whether it be in terms of tangible distance or time. However, blood relatives will forever hold a biological link.
60-year-old Texas native Rudolph Taylor has endured quite a bit throughout his life. Personal trials and tribulations left him homeless for nearly 30 years. Taylor’s work as an artist has endeared himself to both the Houston community as well as the local police force.
Unbeknownst to Taylor, an individual from his past life had been trying desperately to get in touch with him. Upon meeting the mysterious figure, Taylor’s life came full-circle. After all, the bond between a father and son is immensely strong.
Image Source: KHOU 11 News
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Rudolph Taylor has been homeless for over 30 years. This stems from a rocky period earlier in his life. Whilst in the U.S. Army, Taylor was sent to prison for five years. He was sadly found guilty of voluntary manslaughter for the death of his brother.
Upon being released from prison, Taylor got married. After the birth of one son, his partner got pregnant with another baby. However, Taylor wasn’t around to see the birth of his second child. Instead, the Texas native became estranged from his family for over three decades. 
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Taylor’s family left him – ultimately settling in Colorado. Since that point, Taylor has resided in the northern part of Houston. His primary source of income stems from his love of painting. A self-taught artist, Taylor is adept at crafting murals and all sorts of artwork.
Image Source: Melissa Correa/ KHOU 11 News
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Taylor had taken over an old welding shack as his primary residence. The local police force were leery of Taylor at first – though he’s since formed friendships with many of them. One of the officers has even paid Taylor for some of his artwork.
Image Source: KHOU 11
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A local news station found out about the relationship between Taylor and the police force. As a result, it decided to do a story on the now-famous painter. Little did the news station ? nor Taylor – realize the fortuitous result of this report.
Image Source: KHOU 11 YouTube
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Taylor left his family before his second son, Kevin, was born. Kevin only met his father once at the age of three. Ultimately, he moved away to Colorado with his mother at 8 years old. Kevin knew little about his father – other than the fact he lived in Texas. For years, Kevin attempted to contact his father. However, this proved to be more difficult than he could’ve imagined.
Image Source: KHOU 11 YouTube
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Combing through phone books, Kevin would write letters to any ‘Rudolph Taylor’ listed in the state of Texas. Many of them were ultimately returned to him. At this point, Kevin was facing the needle-in-a-haystack situation when attempting to locate his biological father.
Image Source: KHOU 11 YouTube
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As he got older, Kevin joined the United States Marine Corps. In what he felt was a last-ditch effort, Kevin wrote one final letter to his father – which turned out to be a personal invitation to his U.S. Marine Corps graduation. This letter was also sadly returned. After years of trying to track down his father through phone books, Kevin then hopped onto the internet. As luck would have it, there was a turning point in the hunt for Rudolph Taylor.
Image Source: KHOU 11 News
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Upon searching his father’s name on Google, Kevin came across a video from a local Houston television station (KHOU 11). This spotlight showcased a homeless man displaying his artistic ability. The man’s name was Rudolph Taylor. Acting on a hunch, Kevin immediately called the Houston Police Department.
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Kevin vividly remembers the call he made to the police:
“I saw a story and I believe the man that is in the video is my father. Can someone get back to me.”
A captain within the police force got in touch with Kevin. Upon traveling from Colorado to Texas, Kevin was then given the opportunity to finally be reunited with his father.
Image Source: KHOU 11 YouTube
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Upon seeing Kevin, Rudolph became highly emotional. The two exchanged brief pleasantries before joining in a hug. It was the first time in over three decades Rudolph had seen his son.
Image Source: KHOU 11 News
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Enduring a rather somber past, Rudolph had this to say about the entire ordeal:
“I have to deal with the bitterness of the loss, and the anguish. I only know of two sons. there’s nothing wrong with my heart. I just wasn’t able to use it.”
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The two shared some quality time together. Kevin ultimately had to return to Colorado to finish up some of his college classwork. Rudolph remains homeless in the North Houston area. Though he’s still struggling, Kevin is working to get Rudolph proper housing and help.
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The heartwarming reunion of Rudolph and Kevin Taylor is truly special. The dogged pursuit of Kevin ultimately paid off in the end. Though Rudolph has his own demons to work through, the support of a loving son will only help in his personal journey.
Image Source: KHOU 11 News
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